Chanukah or is it Hannukah? The holiday name is translated from the Hebrew which means dedication. Many schoolchildren know the story of the small unadulterated oil found in THE temple in Jerusalem after it was mostly destroyed by the Syrian Greeks. The oil lasted for 8 days rather than a single expected day, long enough for a rider to get a replacement from another city. The oil is central to the dishes we eat for Chanukah , everything deep fried, (OK, so we skip healthy for one night) .

Many Jewish Holidays seem to be we were few , we beat the big army: Now, we can live as Jews! Let’s eat.

Since the story of the Hasmoneans beating the Greek army involves the miracle of the small vial of oil that had hat been defiled by the Greeks lasting 8 days.(Long enough for a rider to get another replacement supply for the Temple in Jerusalem). We now celebrate with foods fried in oil. Typical foods involve latkes (potato pancakes) (recipe to follow) and sufganiyot an Israeli jelly doughnut that puts Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme to shame (By the way , I love Dunkin Donuts). By the way, this recipe is kosher, Gluten-Free, vegan and delicious! Perfect for celiac sufferers who avoid this recipe because it is usually made with flour.

Remember, you don’t have to be Jewish to like or make Potato Latkes.

Preparing the latkes (and Potato kugel)#latke #kugel this way keeps you from having a grey potato dish which I always found unappetizing. #sufganiyot #oilChanukah #oilHanukah

Potato Latkes for Chanukah or anytime

Enough for 3 to 4 people

2 Large White Potatoes, peeled

1 peeled onion

salt

1 egg

Mild flavored Vegetable oil such as safflower or corn

Grate the short side of the Potatoes against the larger spaced sides of a box grater into a bowl of ice water. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes which gives the potato starch time to set in the water. Squeeze the water out by handfuls of potato into a second bowl until most potato is gone from first bowl. Grate onion into drained potatoes and add salt and pepper. Pour off the water slowly from first bowl, leaving some more grated potato and the natural potato starch. When you have all the water poured off, add it to the second bowl and mix well.

Fill frying pan with 1 1/2 inches of oil an d heat. add potato mixture by the soup spoon into the hot oil. Give the latkes about 2 minutes to turn golden brown and flip them , til brown on the second side. then, place on paper towl line plain to drain off excess oil. Keep going with all potato mixture.

For me, there is nothing better than latkes topped with apple sauce. Pthers recommend sour cream with chives.

Variation If latkes are too boring, grate in either a little carrot, zucchini or some fresh chopped parsley although I am a purist myself

No time to fuss, call on your chef in Florida , Helen thttp://forms.aweber.com/form/16/373053016.htmo make this and other holiday favorites for you in your kitchen